Citrus is becoming a safer place to lock your bike, but bike thefts are on the rise nationally.
It is estimated that there are 1.5 million bikes stolen every year according to The National Bike Registry. The hot spot for bicycle thefts is college campuses.
Bike thieves can pick and chose which bikes they want, because of the quantity of college bikers and bad quality of locks used.
The number of reported Citrus bike thefts has dropped from eight in 2012, to two so far this year according to Campus Safety officer Ben Macias.
This is due to a new Campus Safety policy put into action to address the problem. All bikes that are not locked up are picked up by a Campus Safety officer and held at Campus Safety. There, the bikes are held for up to three months, and then transferred to the Glendora Police Department if the bike has a real value.
As of this year Campus Safety has prevented 76 possible thefts by picking up unlocked bikes.
To help this process all Citrus bike riders should register their bike at www.nationalbikeregistry.com. Then, you could simply be notified if Campus Safety or the Glendora Police Department are holding your bike.
Estimates by the National Bike Registry show that only one-third of bike thefts are even reported. The chances of having your bike stolen, as a college student, are 17.5 percent according to the National Bike Registry. Multiplied by three to get the real average, the percentage is 52.5 percent. This means you have about a 50 percent chance of getting your bike stolen as a college student.
Willing to flip a coin for your beautiful Schwinn? Didn’t think so. When taking steps in securing your bike, remember these precautions. Always try to lock your bike in a well-lit, busy area. A bike thief will be less likely to steal your bike if people can see them. Always lock the bike through the frame and front wheel. And always use a good lock.
An extra $10 spent on a better lock could prevent bike theft. When getting a lock, shoot for a U–lock or a heavy-duty chain. The price for a U-lock is between $15-25. The thin metal cords locks are easy to break.
Campus Safety have put flyers out recommending the use of U-lock bike locks to better your bike’s chances of staying on the rack.
Pre-pharmacy major Justin Del Fierro, 22, had his $300 Macargi Rd 269 stolen last year in front of the LB building. He didn’t report it.
When asked how he felt over the incident he said, “I was pissed.”
“Kill all bike thieves!”
